Herald of Destruction
by TheSilverboar
Summary: Banished from his home by Zeus' fear and jealousy Percy falls into the word of Thedas, a world torn by war and strife. His power almost completely gone and without those he knew he will have to forge a new life. Earth may have lost their greatest Hero but Thedas may have gained just what they need. (Percy is thirteen in this story starting and it takes place during Inquisition)
1. Chapter 1

**AN: I got the idea for this story from the 'young inquisitor' posts that talked about how the different companions and advisors of Inquisition would react to a teenage inquisitor so I decided to create this.**

 **AN2: In this story 'The Titans Curse' events took place during summer instead of winter so Perseus is almost thirteen.**

 **AN3: There are two OC Characters that will be Percy's age or close to it. One will be a female Qunari Mage who will be the adopted daughter of Iron Bull and Percy's romance for the story. The other will be a male Avar archer who Percy saves.**

Herald of Destruction

Chapter 1

-Percy-

"Perseus Jackson!" Zeus called out to him, a cruel sneer adorning the sky god's face as the rest of the council watched on helplessly "You stand accused of deliberately interfering with a quest to save a goddess. How do you plead?"

Angrily, he shifted his weight, the chains draped across his form clinking mockingly "Go ahead and get this farce over with coward." He spat, glaring hatefully at the 'King' of Olympus "We all know you're going to kill me anyway like the pathetic little worm that you are." Zeus scowled at him before snapping his fingers as the chains erupted with electrical power causing Percy to scream in pain.

"Zeus!" Poseidon roared, "Enough!" most of the other gods looked to be on his father's side, even the almost immobile Thalia seemed upset.

"He interfered with my daughter's quest!" Zeus yelled to the sea god, the power in the chains sputtering out as Zeus' focused shifted "A quest belonging to the Hero of the Great Prophecy!" that part was sadly true. After returning from Mount Othryss Thalia had sacrificed Bessie and thrown the Ophitarus' guts into a fire. At that point he had already been in chains to 'prevent him from stopping a true hero' according to Zeus, and so he had been powerless to do anything but watch as the flames burned and his little friend turned to dust.

The second the entrails had hit the fire a change came over Thalia as she began to glow with a brilliant golden light, like the entire sun had been condensed and crammed beneath her skin. Her hair began to whip around her in an unfelt wind and her eyes glowed a brilliant blue while lightning that put her father to shame danced along her skin. Turning with great effort, as if her seemingly boundless power fought against her, the daughter of Zeus turned towards the direction of Mount Othryss and let out a scream of rage, thrusting her hands out as blasts of white and gold energy flew fourth from her, flying off into the distance.

It wasn't just one blast though, as more and more flew from her form as she seemed to grow weaker and weaker, her skin losing its radiant glow and becoming clammy and pale. Thalia soon looked like a child of the underworld with how pale and sickly she was. The second the last pit of white and gold light left her she dropped like a puppet who's strings had been cut, barely having an energy left, her godly power levels lower than the weakest mortal.

Enraged at what the result of what had happened to Thalia in destroying the Titans Zeus had turned his attention towards the only held down outlet, Percy. This farce of a trial had been called and he knew how it would end. "This wasn't Thalia's quest Zeus." He pointed out with a smirk, knowing that he was going to die so he might as well piss the living hell out of Zeus before he does so "It was Zoe's."

"Silence!" Zeus pointed the master bolt at him, sending a dark look at Artemis "There is already insult enough at having a _Titan_ placed in the stars." Artemis looked ready to commit patricide at that comment. "Have you anything to say in your defense traitor?" Zeus demanded, turning back to him.

"I aided this quest, I was part of it." He growled, his anger giving him strength as he rose to his feet, the celestial bronze chains groaning as they were forced to warp to allow it "That was Zoe's choice. Not yours, not Thalia's, not anyone else's, but Zoe's choice as she was the only one with the right to do so. I did my part on this quest while you sat here in cowardice, not unable but unwilling to help given the 'ancient laws' that _you_ created. I spit on your so called authority Zeus, I spit on you, your cowardice, and your name. I'm glad most of your children have taken after their mothers because if most took after you then this world would not have survived, I'm surprised it's survived with you in it at all." As he spoke he kept forcing his body to rise until he was standing tall, the links of pure celestial bronze shattering under his strength and rage.

Zeus's eyes grew dark and ominous as a storm could as the god rose slowly to his feet. "Kator!" Zeus roared as the throne room's double doors banged open, a cyclops entering with thunderous steps "I have decided your fate Perseus Jackson. For your crimes I declare a punishment of three parts. For the first-" Zeus moved as fast as lightning itself, appearing in front of him and grabbing him by the throat as he coughed and gagged "I seal your powers." Zeus' fist began glowing, the glow penetrating into his body as Percy screamed from the agony. It took a few moments for the gods to recover from their shock and for his father to rush over, striking Zeus with the Trident as the thunder god staggered back angrily.

Glaring hatefully Zeus took a large burlap bag from the Cyclops "The second part of your punishment is this." Zeus reached into the bag and threw something at himself and his father, the object rolling to a stop as he went cold, bile and grief rising inside him as he looked at the fear stricken severed head of his mother.

"No." his father choked out, dropping to his knees and shakily reached towards the head, as if praying that it was all a horrible dream.

"Yes." Zeus said with cruel coldness while the rest of the gods watched in shock. "And finally I banish you from this world Perseus Jackson. I know not nor care not where you will land but in this way you will _never_ know the peace of Elysium, never be reunited with Sally Jackson nor any other you have known in this world and this life. This is your punishment." With a roar Zeus threw the master bolt, the symbol of power glowing a mixture of blue and white as it struck him and he let out an agonized scream, his father thrown away from him by the force of the blast.

"Percy!" several gods and demigods screamed in shock at his scream as he faded away, his vision going white. His last sight was his father reaching for him while an enraged Hades stabbed Zeus in the back while Artemis and Apollo helped the lord of the dead. After that last sight the last of his vision went white and he found himself floating in an endless void. There were no shadows or light, no top or bottom or sides, just an endless, suffocating, void of white.

"I am sorry young Hero." A mournful man's voice said behind him as he spun around, or at least it felt like spinning in this place. Coming to he saw a man in a black tunic, his skin a healthy tan while angel's wings as dark as the night sky, sprinkled with faint silver specks like stars. "This was not meant to be. Your Uncle broke my decree and those of my siblings, the fates."

Struggling to remember the family trees he'd learned from Annabeth Percy asked "Are…are you Thanatos?"

"No child." The man chuckled softly, not seeming to be insulted "I am not my brother though many think such. I am Moros, the god of impending doom and the one above all others in the current world order. Even my sisters are forced to obey my decrees should I give them."

"Zeus actually obeying anything besides what lies between his legs?" he asked with a raised eyebrow, finding it hard to believe.

Moros, instead of being upset, just let out a rich echoing laugh "Yes I find it hard to believe myself at times but that is what he was ordered to do. He knew not to kill you, he knew you were meant to be the Hero of the Great Prophecy and help with the next Great Prophecy and many other threats. You were to lead the demigods into a golden age by forcing the Olympians to change their ways and giving an example for your kind to fight for. Now I must select a new hero to handle the upcoming crisis since Zeus is dead and young Thalia will take years to recover to the point she had once been."

"Zeus is dead?!" he gasped, his eyes going wide eyed.

"Faded to be exact but yes. He disobeyed the decision I had made out of fear. Zeus didn't know what you would bring but he could guess and whenever he would be about to do something that would go against one of my decrees he would feel it. I cursed him to not be able to fight back against the other gods who slew him for his cruelty and crimes. I also made sure your mother was sent straight to Elysium and she now resides in the Isles of the Blessed. I am sorry I am unable to do more right now."

"Thank you for doing that at least." He said, his eyes growing wet as he looked down, not wanting another to see his tears.

"I came here to talk to you as you fell into the world you have been banished to. It will be dangerous but given your gifts you will be fine." The god of Impending Doom told him.

"But Zeus took away my powers." Percy pointed out confused.

"He tried and almost succeeded." The brother to the fates said in the negative "Your father stopped him just before it could be done. Your powers are nowhere near where they had once been but you are still noticeably stronger than a normal human would be and you can use some elemental abilities. To use your powers to anywhere close to what they had once been you'll need to be in an ocean or some other massive body of water."

"I…guess it's better than nothing." He sighed, missing the achingly familiar feel of his power flowing through him like the tide.

Nodding, Moros continued, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder "I was unable to stop the banishment but I was able to make sure you'd land by someone who would help you and care for you. Anything else for you I am incapable of doing."

"I…thank you." Taking in a deep, shaking, breath he wiped his eyes and tried to force down his pain "Who are you going to have take my place to lead the demigods into this 'golden age'?"

"I was actually hoping to ask your opinion on that." Moros told him, "I feel you should at least give some input on the decision." Pausing he thought about it, thought about the demigods he knew and the ones he had fought alongside before coming to a decision.

"Nico DiAngelo." He decided, "He…he's like I was. Along with a kind heart he has potential and determination."

"The son of Hades," Moros mused as the pieces his brain had been fumbling with in his subconscious clicked into place about Nico's lineage "an interesting choice. I will tell him your words and praise…and give him the gift from Bianca as well as Riptide."

"A letter from Moros?" he asked, "That will be interesting for him."

"No, I will go in person." Moros gave his shoulder a squeeze "He deserves that much given the message I will bring. Live well Perseus Jackson, and may you find happiness." With that the god of Impending Doom vanished and a massive mirror, the surface rippling blue and white, appeared and came towards him at a rapid pace. Before he could respond it reached him and he knew no more as his vision went from white to black.

 **AN: An idea on Percy's power limitations is that his physical strength is somewhere around Iron Bull's, a little higher to be exact, but nowhere near the strength he had in the books (seriously, he punched Polyphemus and knocked an eighty-foot cyclops down with one blow) and his elemental gifts will be around the power of a Dragon Age spell unless he is in a massive body of water.**


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: Sorry about how long it's been since I've posted anything everyone, I've had a lot going on with school and work recently. Anyway, here's chapter two for 'Herald of Destruction'. I'm currently working on a dragon age keep video for what occurred in this story's timeline for DA:O and DA2 but I'm having a hard time getting the website to allow me to make one with nothing in the Inquisition slots or at least allow me to edit the video to cut them out.**

 **AN2: Nobody will be reacting to Percy's age in this story just yet because they don't realize how young he is. The reasons why will be explained later but there is a reason they're treating him like an adult.**

 **AN3: I'm weakening how strong Percy's elemental powers are to the point where they aren't all that useful in combat. I have other plans and don't want him too overpowered.**

Herald of Destruction

Chapter 2

-Percy-

Slowly, painfully, his eyes cracked open, a sore groan escaping his lips as he found himself on his knees, chains holding him in place. Frowning at the strange feeling of his left-hand Percy looked down at the plain skin of his palm before a flash of emerald light seared across his palm, crackling with energy as he recoiled with a pained gasp. Hearing the door slam open he looked up to see the silhouettes of two women in the doorway, one of them carrying a sword.

As the two women entered the four guardsmen, who in his daze Percy hadn't noticed, sheathed their swords. The woman without the sword, dressed in a leather and chainmail cloak, took a stance as if ready to move quickly as she faced him while the second woman, this one in armor with a sword paced around him.

"Tell me why we shouldn't kill you now." The sword carrying woman demanded, an echo of grief in her voice, "The Conclave is destroyed. Everyone who attended is dead. Everyone who attended is dead…" she turned and pointed a finger at him "except for you."

"And in your infinite wisdom you decided I must be the culprit." Percy snapped back, his cheek showing itself from the pain he found his body in mixed with the anger caused by the accusation. Ignoring his snark the woman with the sword grabbed his left wrist, holding it up in the air as waves like ripples of green light flowed across his skin.

"Explain this." The woman ordered with a hiss, throwing his wrist down before resting her hand on her hilt.

"I can't." he hissed back, having no patience after being tortured, having his mother murdered, being flung into a new world, and waking up in a cell "I don't know what that damn thing is or how it got there."

"You're lying!" the woman growled, reaching for him as his instincts and training kicked in. Shooting his arms out he caught the woman in the gut with the bar that shackled his wrists, catching her off guard as she let out an 'oof' of air being driven from her lungs. Not giving her a moment's pause he reared his head back slammed it into hers, breaking her nose as she reared back. Shooting to his feet, Percy put his bar over her neck and pulled back, using her as a shield as he backed against the cell walls, keeping the other five people in the room in view. All of this had happened within seconds and he send a silent thank you to Chiron for all the training.

Ignoring the woman who was trying, and failing, to push his arms away he kept his gaze on the other woman. The four guards, who had drawn their blades once more, weren't a concern, they clearly obeyed the orders of these two women and unless one of them ordered an attack they would stand down. "I don't know who you people are." He hissed "But I'm not about to become your scapegoat for whatever mess you're in."

The woman he wasn't restraining narrowed her eyes in scrutiny, "Let Cassandra go and we can talk. You have my word she won't attack without a cause."

"I worry about what she might feel is a cause." Percy growled, not trusting the woman he restrained not to attack him. Still, after another few moments of tense silence, he raised his arms up and shoved the first woman, Cassandra, away as the guards caught her.

When Cassandra looked ready to charge him the more level headed one grabbed her arm, "Easy Cassandra! We need him!" once the enraged Cassandra had taken a few breaths and no longer looked ready to commit murder the red-haired woman turned back to him. "You said you think you're a scapegoat…what's the last thing you remember?"

Frowning, Percy looked down at himself. The clothes he wore were unfamiliar to him, the fabric was different than what he was used to and it was clearly designed to be armor, especially with the strange wing like metal protrusion on his shoulder. Scowling, his eyebrows furrowed together, Percy tried to piece together what had landed him in this mess after Moros had left. The god of Doom had said he would land near someone who would help him and his lightning wounds felt a few days old. "I…I remember running." He said softly, putting his fingers to his temple as flashes of memory danced before his eyes, of himself scrambling up a rocky hill, fleeing giant spiders "things were chasing me and…a woman?"

"A woman?" the redhead asked in surprise.

"Yes!" the image of a woman who seemed formed of glowing green light, rather like his mark, appeared in his mind for a moment "She reached out to me but then…but then…" giving up he looked down with a sigh, unable to remember what happened after that.

"Go to the forward camp Leliana, I will take him to the rift." The woman who's nose he had broken, Cassandra, ordered the red-head, putting him on guard. The red-head he could work with, this woman he wasn't sure about.

"What did happen." He questioned before Leliana could leave, wanting a straight forward answer from the good cop before he was left with the bad one.

"It will be easier to show you." The redhead said before turning and walking off while Casandra undid his shackles. She didn't attack him but it was clear she held no trust towards him. The four swordsmen followed them as they exited what looked like a church, after leaving the dungeon at any rate. Once outside the church he looked around, throwing his arms up to shield from the sunlight as something green caught his eye. Turning he froze as he saw it. A spiraling mass of energy going into a hole in the sky, boulders floating in its grip.

"That's…that's the same color as my mark." He breathed, looking down at the mark that rested upon his palm.

"Yes." Cassandra wasn't looking at him, instead looking at the emerald hole in the sky "We call it the breach. It is a massive rift into the world of demons that grows larger with each passing hour." She turned back towards him as she spoke "It's not the only such rift, just the largest. _All_ were caused by the explosion at the conclave." The accusation in her voice was clear but he chose to ignore it.

"An explosion can do that?" he asked, confused at how that was possible while one of the swordsmen gave a derisive snort.

" _This_ one _did_." Cassandra gives him a firm gaze "If it isn't stopped it will continue to grow until it swallows all of Thaedus." As she spoke there was sound like thunder, the massive column of light flashing like lightning as his mark flared in agony, feeling pulled towards the breach as it brought him to his knees.

Screaming in pain he clutched his glowing hand to his stomach, trying to force down the pain and the energy of the mark as he panted with agony. Hearing Cassandra kneel in front of him he looked up, tears of pain dotting his eyes at the feeling of his every nerve ablaze "Each time the breach expands your mark spreads…and it is killing you." She sounded almost pitying at that. "It may be the key to stopping this but there isn't much time." The desperation in her voice, Leliana saying they needed him, it all clicked into place. He was just an asset to these people, just like he had been with Zeus.

"You still think I did this." He hissed, flexing his fingers to drive away the spikes of pain "To myself!"

"Not…intentionally." Cassandra said cautiously "But the point still stands that you are the only one with a chance to fix what has been done."

"It's not like I have much of a choice here, do I?" he asked, scowling as Cassandra hoisted him to his feet roughly.

"None of us have a choice anymore." The woman snapped at him as she drug him along through a small village, soldiers and civilians pointing and glaring at him as they passed. "They have decided your guilt, they need it. The people of-"

"And who's idea was it to tell them the lie that I caused this mess?" he snarled angrily, cutting off Cassandra as she looked at him in slight surprise "These people don't _'need'_ someone to place guilt on. They _want_ a scapegoat and you're only too happy to provide one, aren't you? Damn the truth, and damn who might suffer, you just have to have someone to blame."

The venom in his words silenced Cassandra as they finished walking through the town and out, walking over a bridge before she spoke again. "We lash out like the sky, but we must think beyond ourselves…as she did. Until the breach is sealed." Once the gates to the bridge closed behind them Cassandra turned around and pulled out a knife. Before he had the chance to bolt she grabbed his wrists and cut the ropes "There will be a trial…I can promise no more than that."

Hearing the world 'trial' made his hackles raise, and an angry shiver to run down his spine as he forced his body not to lash out from the recent memories, "Very well." His voice was cold "Let's close the bloody breach and then we can get onto that little 'farce'." Turning before a confused Cassandra could say anything he started a steady jog along the path towards the breach, the sound of the armored woman following him. Partway up the hill another pulse caused him to stumble, falling on his face as he bounced and rolled several feet, crying out at the pain in his hand.

Reaching him, Cassandra hoisted him to his feet, "The pulses are coming faster now." She said softly, a contemplative look on her face. Clenching his fist to the point he heard his knuckles crack they set off again, heading over another bridge. He was halfway across when a blast of something shot from the breach and struck the bridge before them, collapsing it as he and Cassandra tumbled down and onto the frozen river. More blasts rained down from the breach, one impacting a short way away as a twisted looking being rose out from within the emerald light, it's skin grey and sallow as a corpse.

"Stay behind me!" Cassandra ordered, drawing her sword and shield as she charged the monster. Noticing another one forming between Cassandra and himself he looked around and found a simple round wooden shield and a sword. Grabbing them he dropped into a fighting stance as another of the monsters clawed its way out, giving off a blood chilling screech.

Yelling in challenge he struck, swinging his blade at the beast as it recoiled, stopping a clawed strike with the shield. Giving a yell Percy shoved the beast back before delivering a powerful blow with the shield, knocking the monster back and giving him an opening to stab it as the creature dissolved into smoke.

Panting he straightened as Cassandra stormed back over "Drop your weapon. Now!" she ordered him angrily, her blade leveled at his face.

Giving her a cold glower he gritted out "Fine, have it your way." And held his hands out to either side to let the armaments drop to the frozen ground. Stalking past the woman he paused when he heard her sigh.

"Wait." He turned to see her offering him the sword and shield "Keep these. I cannot protect you and I cannot expect you to be defenseless. As he attached the scabbard to his belt she looked back at him over his shoulder "I should remember you did not try to run." With that they continued onward, fighting several other small pockets of monsters as they found a steady rhythm to work off of. Despite their less than stellar first introduction Percy noted that she was indeed a skilled warrior. Occasionally one of the monsters would leave behind a small glowing core or a rag or some other item that seemed to be imbued with their energy.

Finishing off another undead looking creature along with a few glowing green spirits he heard the sound of combat up over the next hill. "We're getting close to the rift!" Cassandra called out as they ran up the carved stone steps "You can hear the fighting!"

"Who's fighting?" he demanded, having not seen anyone besides monsters and corpses since crossing the bridge.

"You'll see soon enough." Was the woman's only answer. Cresting the hill, he saw a smaller rift with several of the grey skinned monsters around it and several people fighting them. Raising his sword, he charged with a cry, catching one surprised monster, a Shade if Cassandra was right, across the face and stabbed another in the back. With him and Cassandra there the battle tipped in the favor of those who weren't monsters and they were quickly reduced to smoke.

"Quickly! Before more come through!" a bald man said, grabbing his arm and thrusting it at the rift as tendrils of emerald light connected the rift with the glowing mark on his palm before, as he jerked his hand back, the rift exploded shut as if it never were.

"What did you do?" he asked the bald man who…were those pointe ears?

" _I_ did nothing, the credit is yours." The man said with a calm smile.

"You mean this?" he asked, flexing his fingers as the mark glowed innocently.

"Yes. Whatever magic created the breach also placed that mark upon your hand. I theorized that the mark might be able to close the rifts that have spread in the breach's wake and it seems I was correct."

"At least the damn thing's good for something." He snorted as Cassandra walked forward, wide eyed, with a different thought in mind.

"That means it could also close the breach itself." The woman said, hope entering her voice.

"Possibly." The man nodded before giving him a smile "It would seem, that you hold the key to our salvation."

"Wonderful." Another, _very_ short man grinned, "And here I thought we'd be ass deep in demons forever." Walking forward the short man gave him a grin "Varric Tethras. Rogue, story teller, and occasionally, unwelcome tag along." Varric punctuated that last statement with a wink at Cassandra who gave a disgusted snort.

Deciding that he liked Varric the most of the group he was now stuck with, he nodded in greeting "Nice Crossbow you've got there."

"Isn't she?" the short man sent a fond look over his shoulder at the crossbow, "Bianca and I have been through a lot together." The friendly expression slipped off his face at the name.

"You named your crossbow…Bianca." It wasn't a question, just a flat statement.

"I did." Varric's eyes narrowed in scrutiny at his change in mood "She'll be great company in the valley."

"Absolutely not." Cassandra got between them and glowered down at the short man "Your help is appreciated Varric. But…"

"Have you been in the valley lately Seeker?" the short man asked with a smug grin "Your soldiers aren't in control anymore, you need me." The two held a stare off until Cassandra broke it off with another disgusted sigh.

"My name is Solas, if there are to be introductions." The bald man with the pointed ears greeted "I am pleased to see you still live."

"He means, 'I kept that mark from killing you while you slept'." Varric said without looking over, the short man tugging at his sleeves.

"I owe you my thanks then," he nodded to the man even as he wondered what mess up world Zeus had banished him to "even if it will likely be undone soon."

"What are you talking about?" Varric asked, frowning in confusion.

"I'm a tool here," he said coldly "as soon as my task in closing the breach is done I'm going to be 'tried'. A scapegoat is needed and it looks like I'm the lucky bastard who gets to be chosen."

"Do you think so little of the chantry?" Cassandra asked him affronted.

"The first words you said to me were 'Tell me why we shouldn't kill you now'." He deadpanned at the woman who winced slightly at that.

"Cassandra." Solas spoke up before she could respond "You should know, the magic involved here is unlike any I have seen. Your prisoner is no mage. Indeed, I find it difficult to imagine _any_ mage having such power."

"Understood." Cassandra said, her voice sounding tired, like the wind had been taken out of her sails "We must get to the forward camp quickly."

"Well…" Varric stood next to him "Bianca's excited."


	3. Chapter 3

AN: Just a head's up about this story, I won't be doing all the side quests from Inquisition. I'll do all the main quests as well as the companion's personal quest and the important side quests (like destroying the Templar and Mage camps in the hinterlands) but other than that it will simply be ones that I find interesting or that offer chances for amusing commentary.

Herald of Destruction

Chapter 3

-Percy-

"You speak crossbow?" Percy asked the short man, Varric, while reaching down to pick up a morning star from one of the fallen men in armor. Testing the weight, he nodded and put it in his off hand, his shield remaining on his back.

"What can I say," Varric shrugged but seemed to be watching him curiously "I'm a man of many talents.

"So that translates to two?" old habits died hard and Percy needed something, anything, familiar to distract himself right now "Shooting and talking? Truly an awe-inspiring plethora of abilities you possess."

"Oh, now that's just hurtful." Varric put a mock affronted hand to his chest as they vaulted over a broken fence "I can also write."

"Don't encourage him." Cassandra grumbled back at them, the pointy eared man walking alongside her, a staff held in his hands. He decided not to point out that by getting so irritated she was the one encouraging the short archer.

"Demons ahead!" Solas called out, the man's staff twirling and coming alight with artic power, waves of cold pouring from the head of the weapon. Giving his wrists a spin he readied his weapons and charged, shooting past a surprised Cassandra and Solas. Everything ins his life had gone to Tartarus and didn't look like it planned to come back.

Roaring out a battle cry he swung his mace at the first demon, one of the glowing green spirits, causing it to burst apart with a wail of surprise. With the death of their comrade the other demons turned their gaze unto him as he growled. "Come on!" and with that he moved to show why he was named the destroyer.

He moved like a hurricane, twirling and striking out as the demons came close. With the flail, he bashed aside their attacks or crushed their skulls while the sword pierced and slashed their flesh. Under the combined onslaught of his rage and the steel of his jailors the demons were crushed, dissipating into emerald energy that flowed back into the sky.

"Check the buildings for survivors." Cassandra ordered as she sheathed her blade, moving quickly to one of the intact buildings that wasn't on fire.

"So…" Varric began as they began searching for anyone who was alive and not a demon "are you innocent?"

"I don't remember anything from the past several days but I know I wouldn't do this, not knowingly at least." He said firmly "But being blamed for someone else causing an explosion isn't anything new for me."

"You're kidding." Varric deadpanned "How many times have you been blamed for an explosion caused by someone else?"

"My Uncle sent a fire breathing monster called a Chimera to kill me when I was twelve," he began counting off "my cousin tried to kill me a few weeks later and set off an explosion to attack the people trying to arrest us, a group of giants were sent to kill me and I was blamed for the destruction when I was thirteen, and a few other things that while not explosions, I was still blamed for."

"You must have given your mother no end of grey hair." Varric laughed happily, said laugh dying out almost instantly as Percy clenched his fist, his eyes closed tight, a single tear still escaping them. This reaction was noted by Solas and Cassandra as well.

"It occurs to me that we haven't been told your name." Solas spoke up in an attempt to change the subject, something he was thankful for even if the intentions were obvious.

"Perseus," he answered, forcing the tension from his shoulders and making his grip relax "Perseus Jackson."

"Perseus?" Varric mused over the name, "Never heard a name like that one before."

"Jackson?" Cassandra had focused on something different "That sounds like the names the Avaar use."

"I don't know who the 'Avaar' are," he answered the woman coldly before turning to Varric and elaborated "As for my name it means 'the Destroyer' in the language of my ancestors."

"That's…grim." Varric shivers "Why on earth would your parents name you that?"

"My father was a nobleman who was already married when I was conceived." They found the few houses empty as they searched but did manage to find some gold coins which Varric happily pocketed along with a few small items "and had many dangerous enemies. Perseus was the name of one of the only heroes from my people who had a happy ending. My mother was hoping that that luck would pass onto me. As you can tell since I'm stuck with her," he jerked a thumb at an affronted Cassandra "that didn't happen."

"Nobility?" Solas asked as they turned back to the path and began their way up the long flight of steps, getting closer and closer to the breach "Was your father a Baron? A count?"

Sighing, and wanting to get this over with, he brought up his right hand which still had the signet ring his father had given him for his last birthday, made of a blue-green gold and the flat surface was decorated with the trident. "I am Perseus, son of Poseidon, lord of the Grecian waters."

All was silent for a time before Varric exclaimed "You're a prince!"

"An illegitimate one but yes." He shrugged "My homeland has many smaller provinces and territories with their own rulers whose power is almost absolute. They report to a council made of the strongest twelve who in turn report to the council's leader the High King, or did."

"Did?" Cassandra asked, likely wanting to figure out exactly where he was from and figure out what this whole situation with him meant. To his surprise though it was a question, not a command.

"My father was a member of the council along with his youngest brother." Percy explained "I was banished because my Uncle's daughter had lost her powers and he not only wanted someone to blame but had always hated me. He set up a 'trial' but it was a sham. I was banished and my abilities sealed away, most of them at least. He banished me and I don't know what happened but I woke up in the cell with several days of my memory missing."

"Sealed your powers?" Solas asked, the man's eyes narrowing "And how do you know it was several days if you have memory loss?"

"I estimated judging by how much these had healed." He pulled back the sleeves around his wrist to show the lightning burns from his shackles "My Uncle enjoyed using lightning on me during the trial."

"Your Uncle was a mage." Cassandra's eyes widened "Sealing your powers…he tried making you tranquil""

"Never heard that term but most of my powers are sealed away by what he did." Noting the term mage down he heard the sound of more demons ahead. Before he could continue onward Varric spoke up.

"Why did you tell us all of this?" the short man asked, eyes alight with confusion while Cassandra's were narrowed in suspicion.

"I'm going to be dead soon anyway," he said, his voice hollow, an empty smile on his lips "I'd like to at least pretend I'm able to have a friend to talk to before that happens." With that he turned and charged the demons.

-Varric-

Frowning he provided cover fire for Perseus, absorbing what was just said. "What do you make of all this Chuckles?" he asked Solas, the elf standing beside him while Cassandra had charged off after Perseus.

"He sounded honest to me." Solas admits in his ever semi-formal tone "And I did sense some form of restrained power within him. I had simply assumed that it was the mark but if it was true and his people have a different method of inducing tranquility…"

"Then I hope it doesn't spread." He interrupted the elven mage "One method is one too many already. Although that story about his Uncle putting him on trial, it would explain why he was so cynical about the Seeker and her own mentioning of one."

"Do you think he could have come from Tevinter or somewhere near it if his people are ruled by mages?" Solas asked, the thought honestly intriguing Varric as well but he shook his head "We would have heard about a new form of tranquility if they used it and I've never heard of a government like the one he described." With a final pull of the trigger the last demon faded away.

"I hope Liliana made it through all this." Cassandra spoke up as he and Solas moved to catch up with the two warriors.

"The red head?" Perseus asked with a raised eyebrow.

"That's the one," he spoke up, jogging hard to catch up to the others "and don't worry Seeker, she's resourceful."

"We will see soon enough, we're almost at the forward camp."

Perseus nodded and looked ready to say something else when he froze and looked at his palm "There's another rift nearby." He said, flexing his fingers as the mark glowed green.

"Brilliant." He sighed and readied Bianca as they finally crested the hill and saw several soldiers clashing with the demons. Once more Perseus gave a battle cry and charged into the fray. Watching Perseus fight was beautiful and terrifying. The man seemed to have no regard for his own life and fought, ironically, like a demon. Moving with the speed and grace of a whirlwind the man lashed out with the two weapons, more than earning his name. A look of pure rage was across Perseus' face when closing the rift, as if channeling all the pain and suffering the marked man had endured into that single action.

Inside the forward camp, after they replenished their supply of potions, he saw Liliana with some Chantry Bureaucrat and the two were arguing. "Ah, here they come." The man said, looking up at their approach.

"You made it!" Liliana breathed out in relief at seeing them there "Chancellor Roderick, this is-"

"I know who he is." The Chancellor interrupted with a scowl before pointing at Perseus "As Grand Chancellor of the Chantry I hereby order you to take this Criminal to Val Royeaux to await execution."

"Order me?!" Cassandra began angrily "You are-" what she thought the Chancellor was Varric wouldn't find out as at that moment Perseus, a look of anger on his face, punched the man in the face and sent him flying back through a tent.

"Nice punch." He laughed at that, "You might almost be as tough as Avelline on a bad day…almost."

"I will not be this man's scapegoat." Perseus growled as Roderick groaned and got to his feet, the right side of the man's face turning an interesting shade of purple. "He claims to be a man of virtue and honor yet his first words are about having me executed without even a farce of a trial." Perseus glanced at Cassandra and seemed to have a hint of grudging respect "At least you were better than that."

"We need to get up to the Temple." Cassandra spoke up as soldiers gathered around, none bothering to help up the Chancellor,

"That route may be the quickest, but not the safest." Liliana spoke up "We should let our forces charge as a distraction, while we take the mountain path."

"Men's lives are not a distraction." Perseus spoke up coldly before Cassandra could respond to the idea before he glared up at the breach as his arm danced and crackled with emerald lightning, Perseus' eyes shining with the pain he was in "I won't survive long enough to face any sort of trial, whatever happens, happens now. I say we charge."

"Then let's go." Cassandra said, the hints of a smile twitching at the corners of her lips.


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: Sorry about how long this took to get out, things have been hectic since my family put our house on the market (so I had to help prepare for that) and it sold in less than a week so we've since been working on moving out. Added to that I've been handling moving into a new place, dealing with a lot of situations with work, my brother in law being in a motorcycle accident, working on a major project, and a bunch of other things. Hopefully things go back to normal soon.**

Herald of Destruction

Chapter 4

-Percy-

The wind howled across the stones as the regiment they picked up from the valley reached the mountain top. Fires burned, and emerald meteors fell from the breach, shards of stone flying like shrapnel, occasionally striking one of the wounded soldiers they saw being treated near the ruins of what looked like it had once been a temple. Just ahead of the temple entrance he could hear the sounds of battle, the ring of steel and roar of demons as man and monster fought.

Away from this several soldiers were fleeing, eyes wide with terror as tears began to glisten in the eyes of the blubbering men. "Halt!" Cassandra tried to order them, but it seemed that they feared the demons more than her.

Face silent and hard as stone Percy reached out and grabbed the lead deserter, stopping the man from running with ease as the others froze in their tracks "Know this coward," he hissed coldly "if you flee today then you will always be branded by that shame. It doesn't matter if the rest of the world forgets your face and nobody else knows of what you do today, because you _always_ will. So flee and always have to know that you are a coward or stay and fight."

"What do you care, you caused this!" the hysterical man blubbered only to shoved back towards his fellows. More and more wounded soldiers were starting to rise up as were the ones treating them, likely curious as to what he had to say, even Cassandra seemed to be intrigued.

"I don't give a damn about your chantry!" he declared loudly, cold eyes reflecting the light of the mark upon his hand "I have seen nothing from it yet to make me wish to fight for it. Instead I will fight for those I know nothing of, of the innocents bellow this mountain. The people who lack the strength and blades to fend for themselves. Would you, one who has both of those things, abandon those people to death? I didn't cause this mess, but it seem like I'll be the one to damn well finish it." Not even bothering to see if any of them believed him, and honestly not caring, Percy shoved past the group that had tried deserting and climbed the steps towards what had once been the front door to a temple. At his sides he saw Varric looking torn between amusement and trepidation along with Cassandra who seemed contemplative. Solas, he assumed, was at his back as the feeling of some sort of spell washed over him, a wave of light dancing across his skin from whatever the mage had done.

Drawing his weapons, he passed through the archway and saw a group of soldiers fighting for their lives against the small horde. Back on Earth Percy had always had to fight hard to keep control over his anger, to not let loose with his fury as he had always been afraid he couldn't reign it back in if he did. After everything he had suffered since the quest ended though he found he couldn't be bothered to hold back anymore, giving in and following the words his father told him, 'the sea doesn't like to be restrained'. Leaping from the raised ledge he body checked a thin green demon, sending its frail looking body slamming into a boulder. Ignoring the gaping shock of the soldier he just saved Percy cut off the demons outraged shriek with a sword through the mouth, it's corpse dissolving into motes of green light that flew ever skyward.

"Cullen!" Cassandra shouted in relief as they carved a path towards a man in finer armor than the rest of the soldiers, wielding a sword with a truly masterful level of skill.

"Cassandra!" the man, likely an officer, sighed in relief, finishing the last of the demons from the current wave off with a slash "I hope you have good news."

"The pris-…Perseus, is able to seal the rifts with the mark. We think it might also be capable of sealing the Breach itself." Cassandra explained, surprising him with the use of his name.

"Thank the Maker for small mercies," Cullen turned and stared him in the eye, evaluating him with a look "I hope they're right about you, we've lost a lot of people trying to hold off the demons for you to get here."

The nearby rift flares up as a new wave of demons prepares to force their way into this world "You can see for yourself." he growls, readying his weapons as the demons appear with maddened roars. Charging along with Cassandra and Cullen they began to hack at the demons, pushing the group back further and further as more soldiers joined their effort, others providing ranged support. Unprepared for the rallied offensive the demons quickly fall, weakening the rift. Reaching out he felt the connection the rift had to the mark upon his palm, felt the tethers that bound the mark to the rift and even faintly the rift to the breach. Through force of will alone he thickened those bonds, turning them from threads of gossamer thin spider's silk to thick chains of wrought iron, the links of energy growing and glowing, undulating like serpents as they bound the two glowing green points. When the strength of the bond had been enhanced as much as he could Percy grabbed the links and, with a yell, ripped back, tearing the rift apart as empty sky was left in its place.

"Sealed, as before." Solas grinned, the mage sounding slightly out of breath "You are becoming quite proficient at this."

"Let's just hope it works on the big one." Varric grunted, ripping a crossbow bolt out of the dirt before tossing it away with a dissatisfied grunt.

"Cassandra," Cullen turned to the woman "take your regiment and press onward, the way to the temple is clear and Liliana should meet you there. My men and I will hold the line back here and make sure more demons don't flank you."

"Maker watch over you my friend." Cassandra said, her voice turning somewhat horse as she clasped arms with the man who could very well die this day.

"I'd rather he kept his gaze on you today," Cullen chuckled, the sound dry and humorless "you're the one who we need to succeed here. Men!" the officer turned to the soldiers that were finally catching their breath with the halt of demons "Fall back to the mountain path!"

Pretending to not notice Casandra wiping away a few tears of frustration he continued, jumping down from a ledge to what looked like it had once been a courtyard, burning and mummified corpses spread throughout the area. Some on their knees as if in horror, others thrown aside against walls and jutting rocks. Throughout the air hung a lazy red miasma that put every fiber of his being on edge. "Something feels wrong here." He muttered under his breath as they approached the structure which must have looked magnificent before its destruction. Going down the ruins of a corridor they got a look at the largest rift yet, housed in the heart of what had used to be a temple. It sat suspended in the air, shimmering and shifting crystals growing and shrinking from its heart as the very air seemed to hum with power, an aurora connecting it to the breach in the sky.

"The breach is a long way up." Varric muttered, the crossbowman looking about nervously.

"Thank you for that observation Varric," Percy snarked "I never would have established that otherwise." Ignoring the look Varric shot him he turned to Cassandra "I assume you have some sort of plan to get me up there besides a catapult?"

"As tempting as Cassandra would likely find that, it is unnecessary," Solas spoke up with a glance at the crystalline rift "this rift was the first, and it is the key. Seal it, and we may very well seal the breach itself."

"Then you should find a way down," a familiar voice spoke up in relief as Liliana and a group of archers joined them "and be careful." Nodding along with Cassandra the led Solas, Varric, and the rest of their regiment who used melee weapons along the path to find a way down.

"Now is the hour of our victory." Came a chilling voice from nowhere "Bring forth the sacrifice."

"What are we hearing?" Cassandra asked, hand on her hilt as she looked around.

"Probably the bastard who made this mess in the first place." Percy answered, looking around as he drew his weapons, the wooden shield still secure on his back. Picking up the pace they rounded the corner of the pathway, finding spires of glowing red crystals coming out of the walls, each of them giving off a feeling of unparalleled wrong.

"You know this stuff is red lyrium seeker." Varric almost hissed glaring hatefully at the crystals.

"I see it Varric." Was the terse reply from the armored woman.

"But what's it doing here?" their archer pressed, clearly not liking the presence of the red crystals.

"I don't care what it's doing here, I just want to get away from these things." He shuddered, "They feel wrong."

"Magic could have drawn upon lyrium beneath the temple and corrupted it." Solas mused thoughtfully as they carefully avoided touching the spires "Avoiding contact with them seems to be the most prudent action in the current situation."

Before anyone else could respond, the voice from nowhere spoke up again "Keep the sacrifice still."

"Someone, help me!" a new voice joined the haunting one from the crystal rift, this one old and female yet strangely familiar.

"What's going on here?" the rage of the demand was clear as was the voice.

"That was Divine Justinia's voice…and yours." Cassandra breathed out in shock "Most holy called out to you but-" she was cut off as they got closer to the rift, vision of what had happened appearing in the green hazy air reflected by the crystals. In it they saw an old woman in robes being restrained by some sort of magic, a shadowy figure with blood red eyes looking onward at her.

"What's going on here?" once more they heard his voice only this time they could see him, apparently slamming someone aside given the way he moved and that he picked up a sword.

"Percy!" the woman, Divine Justinia cried out in fear "Run while you can! Warn them!"

"I'm not leaving you!" the past version of him refused, eyes alight with fury as he dropped into a fighting stance.

"We have an intruder." The shadowy figure pointed at the direction of his past self "Kill him, now." With that the vision of the past shattered, the gems growth breaking the image.

"You _were_ there!" Cassandra exclaimed before a look of realization flashed across her features "You were trying to protect the Divine, not to kill her. And you remember nothing?"

"Not a damn thing!" he snarled, his anger growing more given that he had apparently cared about the old woman who had died here.

"Sounds like Fenris." He heard Varric mutter under his breath and planned to ask about that later.

"This Rift is closed, albeit temporarily." Solas called out, the mage leaning against his staff "You will need to use the mark to open the rift so that way it can be closed properly. This will draw attention from the other side however."

"More demons then, yaay." Varric groaned out, readying Bianca as a bolt was primed to be loosed. Not bothering to respond he reached up and grasped at the energies of the rift, tugging at the knotted ropes of power as they began to come loose, the sound of swords being drawn from scabbards and the strings of bows being pulled back filling the pit. Finally, with a boom like thunder, the knotted energies untie themselves and the rift sprung open, a giant purple demon appearing with a crash upon the ground.

"Attack!" Cassandra yelled as they charged the demon, archers and mages staying back to fire upon it's hide.

"Aim for the eyes!" he ordered the ones providing cover fire, hoping they could hear him over the echoing roars of the giant demon. Reaching its legs along with Cassandra and their other soldiers they began to hack away, black ichor coating their blades as they cut into the creatures armored hide, arrows lodged upon its torso and spells bounced off or staggered it back as the demon was besieged on all sides. Sensing its growing anger, he just had time to grab Cassandra and another soldier, pulling them back before the demon slammed its fists against the ground, the rift tying energy into the demon as some sort of armor that their attacks just bounced off of.

"Buy me some time!" he ordered Cassandra, forcing himself not to look at the smoking corpses of those who hadn't been able to dodge the demon's lightning. Reaching out to the connection between the demon and the rift he grabbed it, seeing Cassandra and the other soldiers fighting off smaller demons that tried to stop him while the big one had to shield its eyes from a never-ending volley of spells and arrows. With a yell he yanked back and stripped the demon of its armor, dropping the beast to its knees as the loss of energy left it temporarily vulnerable. Running back into the fray he grabbed a broadsword from a fallen soldier and rammed it into the Achilles tendon of the demon, hoping the anatomy of the purple monster was similar to that of a human. Even if it wasn't, judging by the agonized roar from their adversary the attack still hurt a good bit.

Snarling, the demon staggered up, the leg with a sword imbedded in the ankle not moving as easily as the other but the demon still had devastating strength and power over lightning. "Move!" he yelled, tackling Cassandra out of the way of a sphere of lightning the demon hurled their way, the ball exploding upon impact with the ground. Using their momentary distraction to its advantage the demon summoned more minions while rebuilding its rift armor.

"Oh no you don't you big bastard," Percy snarled, crushing the head of a shade with his flail "you aren't getting that back again." Reaching out with the mark it became a tug of war to keep the big demon from getting armor back, the battle of wills turning in Percy's favor as his allies picked off the smaller demons and resumed hacking away at the big one. Getting a firm enough grip, he once more ripped apart the demon's connection to the rift, leaving the badly wounded demon on its last legs.

"Open wide big guy!" Varric called out, happily firing a bolt into the open mouth of the roaring demon and up into its brain as its roar sputtered out, it's massive body dissolving as it fell.

"Quick, seal it now!" Cassandra yelled as Percy wasted no time in complying, forcing his way into the aurora of the rift as he tried to grab onto the insane amount of power. Screaming out in both anger and frustration he grabbed as much as he could and pulled. With a bang he was sent flying, his vision going white before slowly fading to black.


	5. Chapter 5

Herald of Destruction

Chapter 5

-Percy-

Voices, all around him, Percy heard voices. He could feel the cold chill of the air, hear the sound of voices and footsteps, smell the smoke of fire and the dung of horses. Opening his eyes at the sound of a door opening, Percy saw a small wooden cabin with furs on the wall. Looking toward the door, he saw a girl walking in with pointed ears like Solas, carrying a chest. When she saw him looking her way her eyes widened, the box slipping from her fingers with the sound of breaking glass "Oh! I didn't know you were awake, I swear!"

"Where in the pits of Tartarus am-" Percy began only to see the girl throw herself to her knees, forehead pressed against the ground.

"I beg your forgiveness and your blessing. I am but a humble servant. You are back in Haven, my Lord. They say you saved us. The Breach stopped growing, just like the mark on your hand. It's all anyone's talked about for the last three days."

"Then what happens now?" he questioned, not all that comfortable with the girl bowing to him but at the same time he still didn't feel too trusting after what had already happened, "The Chancellor mentioned having me shipped away for execution."

"I-I wouldn't know anything about that!" the servant girl looked wide eyed at the mention of an Execution "I'm certain Lady Cassandra will want to know you've wakened. She said, 'At Once'."

"And where is she?" Percy questioned, knowing that at least Cassandra had more human decency than what he'd seen of the Chancellor.

"She's in the Chantry, with the Lord Chancellor. 'At once.' She said." The servant quickly turned and hurried away, leaving him alone in the cabin. Grunting, Percy got out of the bed, taking a moment to assess his own injuries and found that he was in surprisingly good health, the injuries from Zeus and the ones he attained since waking up in a cell all having disappeared. Shaking his head, Percy pushed open the door only to freeze when outside.

He saw men in armor outside his cabin, saluting him with fists to their chests, a crowd of people who looked like civilians looking at him in awe. "That's him." One whispered "That's the Herald of Andraste."

"They said when he came out of the Fade, Andraste herself was watching over him."

"Hush. We shouldn't disturb him."

"That's him. He stopped the Breach from getting any bigger."

"I heard he was supposed to close it _entirely_. Still a lot of rifts left all over, little cracks in the sky."

Reaching the Chantry, Percy mentally noted every comment he heard on the way over, intending to question Cassandra at the first opportunity. "Chancellor Roderick says that the Chantry wants nothing to do with us." A priestess in robes said nervously as he pushed open the large wooden doors.

"That isn't Chancellor Roderick's decision, Sister." Another retorted, sounding offended at the mention of the irritating man.

"Most of the Grand Clerics died at the Conclave. Who will lead us now?"

"Andraste didn't have Grand Clerics telling her what to do, and she managed nonetheless."

"You expect us to be like Andraste?"

"Someone must." Amused at that statement, Percy fully stepped inside the building, he saw that it was far more ornate and well built than the town he had just passed through.

Approaching a door at the back, Percy paused as he heard shouting, "Have you gone completely mad?!" the familiar voice of Chancellor Roderick yelled "He should be taken to Val Royeaux immediately, to be tried by whomever becomes Divine!"

"I do not believe he is guilty." The firm voice of Cassandra spoke up, surprising Percy who was positive about the 'he' in question.

"The halfling failed Seeker," Roderick retorted "the Breach is still in the sky. For all you know, he intended it this way!"

"I do not believe that!"

"That is not for you to decide." Roderick spat, "Your duty is to serve the Chant-"

"My duty is to serve the principles on which the Chantry was founded Chancellor." Cassandra interrupted, pride filling her tone at as she spoke passionately about her duty "As is yours." Giving it a moment, wanting to overhear as much as he could, Percy stepped forward and pushed open the door, the two guards both turning to look at him as he entered.

"Chain him." Roderick ordered the armored guards, "I want him prepared for travel to the capital for trial."

"Disregard that, and leave us." Cassandra smirked, clearly enjoying undermining the Chancellor's orders.

"You walk a dangerous line Seeker." Roderick scowled, the mottled purple bruise Percy had given him already gone, likely healed the same way Percy's wounds were.

"The breach still hangs in the sky. I will not ignore it." She pauses and glances to him "Nor will I continue to make the same mistakes I did before."

"I fixed your mess, closed the damn hole in the sky, it almost _kills_ me yet you're still bitching and moaning?" Percy growled at Roderick who raised an eyebrow and stared down at him.

"And yet you live. A convenient result in so far as you're concerned." The Chancellor sneered.

"Have a care, Chancellor." Cassandra growled out before Percy could reapply the Chancellor's bruise "The Breach is not the only threat we face."

" _Someone_ was behind the explosion at the conclave." Liliana stepped forward, "Someone Most Holy did not expect. Perhaps they died with the others."

"Or still have allies that don't know how to shut up." Percy pointed out, enjoying making the asshole in front of him bristle indignantly.

"Quite so Perseus." Lilianna nodded, Roderick turning her with shocked indignation.

" _I_ am a suspect?!" the robbed man looked genuinely shocked.

"You." Lilliana agreed "And many others."

"But not the halfling?" Roderick sneered as Percy again kept himself from punching the man, idly wondering what halfling meant.

"I heard the voices at the temple, I saw the echoes of the past." Cassandra turned to him, seeming truly apologetic "The Divine called out to him for help, Justinia _knew_ him. Unless you mean to imply someone could impersonate Justinia's mannerisms and inflections so perfectly for an illusion."

"So, what, his survival, that thing on his hand, all a coincidence?" Roderick scoffed disbelievingly.

"Providence, the Maker sent him to us in our darkest hour." Cassandra insisted.

"Fate." He snarled, "I've had enough of being that gods and prophecy and fate have chosen how I'm supposed to live my life. Three days ago you wanted to kill me, now I'm your savior?"

"I was wrong." Cassandra sighed, perhaps recognizing his frustrations and where they came from given what she had learned of him while fighting to the Breach, "But I'm not about to pretend that you weren't exactly what we needed, exactly when we needed it. We had lost everything the…out of nowhere, you came. I…was wrong before." He could tell it took a lot for her to swallow her pride and admit that.

"The breach remains," Lilianna picked up as Cassandra stepped back from the table, "and your mark is still our only hope of closing it."

"This is not for you to decide." Roderick growled, trying and failing to appear intimidating. Cassandra slammed a heavy book down onto the table between Roderick and Lilliana, 'accidentally' doing so on the Chancellor's fingers.

"Chancellor Roderick, this is a writ from the Divine giving us the authority to act." Cassandra straightened, staring the beurrocrat in the eye till he backed down "As of this moment, I declare the Inquisition reborn. We will close the Breach, we will find those responsible, and we will restore order. With, or without your approval." Roderick couldn't hold the gaze and quickly broke contact, backing up before leaving the room.

"This is the Divine's Directive." Liliana ghosted her fingers across the surface of the ancient looking book "Rebuild the Inquisition of old, find those who will stand against the chaos…But we aren't ready. We have no leader, no numbers, and now? No chantry support."

"But we have no choice, we must act now." Cassandra looked to him and he could see her eyes desperately hoping to sway him "With you at our side."

"The Inquisition of old?" Percy wasn't agreeing to anything without knowing more about the situation.

"It predated the chantry, people banning together to restore order in a world gone mad." Liliana spoke with reverence in her tone.

"Afterwards, they laid down their banner, forming what became the Templar order but that same order has lost its way. We needed people, united under a single banner once more." Cassandra finished, Percy noting her fist clenching at the mention of the Templar order.

"You're trying to start a holy war."

"We are already at war, you are already involved, and the mark is already upon your hand." Cassandra shook her head gently, "As for if it is Holy? That will depend on what we discover."

"…And if I refuse?"

"Then you may go." Lillianna assured, "In our eyes, you have proven your innocence. However while we do not think you guilty, many others will not see things the same way. The Inquisition cannot help you unless you are with us."

"It will not be easy if you stay, I won't deny that." Cassandra looked to him, "But you cannot pretend that this has not changed you, that you don't seek answers."

"When I woke up, I certainly didn't expect this outcome." He sighed, running a hand back through his hair.

"Neither did we." Cassandra gave a rueful smile and offered her hand, "Help us fix this, please…before it's too late." The room was silent for a moment before Percy nodded, grasping Cassandra's hand firmly and shaking it.

-Val Royeaux-

"The 'Herald of Andraste'," a voice spat from the shadows "his every breath is an insult to our lady and the Maker."

"Well, the Antivan Crows do happen to fancy ourselves experts on insults your worship." A second voice spoke up, clearly used to being able to say what they wanted and to get away with it, "And for such a discerning customer I'm sure I could work out a special reduction in our usually exorbitant fees."

"What do you want assassin?" the first voice demanded, having no desire to bat words around on a matter such as this.

"My brothers and I can do much your Worship. Our skills are not limited to mere knives in the dark." The second voice was practically giddy as it spoke "A few well placed words here, a 'lost' letter there, and you could be well on your way to being addressed as 'The Divine'. And I'm sure a woman of honor and integrity such as yourself would remember those who helped her get to where she could best spread the Maker's word."

"Get me results, then we'll talk." Was the only response form the first voice before its source turned and left.

Chuckling, the Antivan Crow, rested a hand on the pommel of the blade he had claimed long ago, "Oh, this will indeed be fun." The flames of his sword dance and flickered, if the assassin had believed in such things he would almost believe the fire was attempting to burn him.

-Percy-

Stepping back into the Chantry, Percy walked beside Cassandra as they went to meet with the inner circle of the Inquisition. "Does it trouble you?" Cassandra asked, glancing down at his still glowing palm.

"It itches." He grumbled, rubbing furiously at the skin, "It feels like ants crawling under my skin."

Wincing, Cassandra nodded "What's important is that your mark is stable, as is the breech."

"Yes, having my hand no longer attempting to make my heart burst from my chest is a very important thing." He agreed, his tone only slightly snarky as Cassandra had been attempting to improve.

"Well you've at the very least bought us time. Solas believes a second attempt might succeed. Provided that the mark has more power that is." She winced "The same level of power used to open the breech in the first place. That is not easy to come by."

"Oh, wonderful." Percy rolled his eyes, "What harm could there possibly be in powering up something we barely understand? Who knows, maybe if we put in enough power my hand will fall of and become a nice desk light."

Cassandra snorted dryly at the morbid joke and smirked, "Hold onto that sense of humor, we may need it in the days to come." With that she led him into the room he had been in before when agreeing to help. Inside, he saw Lilianna and Cullen waiting with a woman he didn't recognize. "You already met Commander Cullen."

"It was only for a moment on the field." The blond soldier laughed it off, giving Percy a grin, "I'm pleased to see you survived."

"I'm pleased I survived as well. Being dead sounds rather boring honestly." With the lack of immediate danger and the joyous situation of dealing with people, Percy's snark had returned in full.

"As well as Sister Liliana." Cassandra nodded to the redhead.

"My position here involves a degree of-" Lilliana began before another voice cut in.

"She is our spymaster." Cassandra interrupted.

"Yes, tactfully put Cassandra." Lilliana sighed.

And finally, Lady Josephine Montilyet, our ambassador and chief diplomat." Cassandra finished the introductions, gesturing to the woman in the golden dress.

"It is a pleasure to meet you at last." Josephine nodded with a smile, holding something reminiscent of a clipboard in her hand.

"Well that's an impressive bunch of titles." Percy forced himself to relax, listening as the four people in front him argued back and forth on the merits of using mages or templars to empower his mark to close the breech. His attention was grabbed when he heard a term he had first heard after waking up.

"Wait, 'The Herald of Andraste'?" Percy questioned, "I heard that mentioned before, what is that about?"

"People saw what you did at the temple, how you stopped the breach from growing." Cassandra explained "They also heard about the woman that was seen beside you when you exited the first, many believe that to be Andraste herself. People believe that she shielded you from harm, that she chose you to save us."

"And even if we chose to deny this rumor," Liliana sighed "everyone around the world is still talking about you."

"It's quite the title." Cullen chuckled, "How do you feel about it?"

"I've had far worse, trust me." Percy snorted, "But if you're in a divulgatory mood, mind explaining another term for me? Roderick referred to me as a 'halfling' and something tells me it wasn't just a comment on my height."

"It is actually, or at least in part." Cullen frowned at the mention of the term, "It's a slur some people use for people like you who come from mixed lines."

"Mixed lines?" his eyes narrow, he knew he hadn't mentioned his divine lineage, so he wanted to know what they were on about.

"You're half dwarf, are you not?" Cassandra frowned bewildered, "Given your height and smoother features we assumed you were half dwarf half human, or half dwarf half elf."

"Of course I'm short you fuckwits, I'm thirteen!" he snapped, still a little sensitive about his height even if he was growing taller.

"Y-you're human?" Cassandra paled, Josephine's clipboard falling from her fingers and even Cullen's hands left the pommel of his sword for the first time. "I threatened a child?"

"I'm not a child." Percy's tone was cold, "After the shit I've seen? The things I've had to do? I haven't been a child for a few years now."


	6. Chapter 6

**AN: First off, I wish to address those who disagreed with something about the last chapter. I put that everyone had mistaken Percy for a half dwarf and some of you responded that it makes no sense as he would look like a normal human child. Well we know humans, elves, and dwarves can interbreed with varied effects and appearances. Elves in Thedas don't have beards and are very slender so a half elf half dwarf could reasonably be slender, short, and beardless. He was found in the armor of a mercenary and was their lead suspect. They pieced together the pieces in the way that made the most sense to them.**

 **AN2: Something I forgot to mention in any authors notes from previous chapters is that one of the two OC's I mentioned, the Avvar archer, is now being made a female character. I'm torn between pairing Percy with the female Qunari mage or the female Avvar archer, but it will be one of those two (I don't have anyone else close enough to his age to pair him with in canon which is why I'm working to create some interesting characters for it). I've admittedly waffled back and forth between which one to be mage and which one to be archer as Qunari Saarebas are stupidly powerful but Avaar shamans know a lot of interesting magic and learn from spirits. In the end I'm going with Qunari mage and Avaar archer though.**

Herald of Destruction

Chapter 6

-Percy-

Sighing, Percy sat on a rock, overlooking the small frozen lake outside of Haven. Ever since he had explained to the Inquisition leaders that he was a thirteen-year-old human they had been acting different. Cassandra, from what he saw, was feeling guilty over how she had treated him in the beginning. She had been trying to follow him and keep an eye out on him. The problem for her was that she was terrible at stealth, especially as she never took off her armor from what he saw. When someone clanks with every step it's easy to keep track of them.

Cullen had at least tried to be somewhat subtle about his attempts, _tried_. It was clear though that the experienced soldier was trying to make him open up and was attempting to act like an older brother figure.

Liliana was torn between a sympathetic understanding and looking at him with sheer horror. He had seen a couple of her agents following him over the past couple days since the reveal and was sure there were at least a dozen more he hadn't noticed.

Josephine had just been horrified. From what Percy gathered, she was already shocked and horrified upon hearing from Cassandra what had happened with Zeus and the trial. Now that she knew he was actually a teenager she was alternating between tearing Cassandra a new one and trying to bond with him.

Solas had looked horrified as well but also somewhat guilty which Percy found odd. He had however decided that since Percy was young then he was moldable and kept trying to teach him about ancient elves or something else which meant nothing to him given he still had no idea where he was.

Varric had made a few scathing comments to Cassandra but other than that had just told Percy that if he ever needed or wanted to talk to come find him before offering early releases of the Dwarf's books. He kept catching glimpses of the dwarf watching him out of the corner of his eye at random places in the village.

All of it was infuriating. He had saved his world and his camp, fought gods, and escaped the underworld. But he couldn't tell them any of that and they still treated him like he was made of glass now that they knew his age.

"Well, you look bored." A new voice spoke up, a loud grunt coming from the source as a giant of a man sat down beside him. The man had grey skin, ram horns, and his left arm in a sling.

"What gave it away?" Percy grumbled, tossing a pebble out onto the frozen lake to watch it bounce off the surface, wishing he had an actual lake to swim in.

"The bored expression." The giant man laughed, "I could use a sparring partner if you aren't fascinated by those pebbles of yours."

"Not terrified of breaking the child Herald?" Percy grumbled out but was paying a bit more attention.

"Kid I saw you fight." The giant laughed and stood up, "I should be more worried that you'll break me given what I saw you do to those demons. Besides, I need to get used to fighting without a shield for a bit." The giant nodded to the arm that sat in a sling.

"You can't get it healed?" Percy asked, following the giant to the training grounds, remembering seeing some mages healing people over by the big Chantry building.

"I got some stones imbedded in it that came from those green meteors that came out of the breech. The bloody thing is resisting magical healing, so I don't know how long I'll be down a shield and left with just my sword arm. Thankfully the healers are making some progress even if it's slow." As they spoke the giant got a sword that was split into two sections, a gap down the middle and teeth coming out the sides. "Ready kid?" the giant asked, giving the sword a test swing even as a few more like him but with different types of horns come over to watch.

"Sure. Mind telling me who you are first? Be kind of hard to tell me if I break you after all?" picking up a couple longswords that Cassandra had requisitioned for him before he had revealed his age, Percy got into a ready stance, a shield on his back as he worked on getting used to the new style.

"Adaar." The giant laughed, "Ataashi Adaar." Instantly the man lashed out, moving faster than Percy expected someone of that size to as he leapt back.

"Tartarus!" he cursed, pushing back with his feet to stop his slide as he swung his swords at the horned swordsman.

"Not bad." The giant grinned, deflecting his slashes with an impressive show of skill. Percy could feel his blows pushing back and figured, even with his weakened abilities, he was at least somewhat stronger than the giant and was a natural with the blade, but the giant was apparently a natural as well and had years of experience. "You've had some good training kid."

"Thanks." He grunted out, rolling and letting the shield on his back take a hit as he slashed at the giant's legs, the giant dancing back but still taking a grazing hit.

"Clever." Ataashi nodded in approval, "Clever, strong, and talented. I'm glad I'm fighting you now and not in a few years."

"You sound like you think you'll still win." Percy shot forward, swinging his left sword in an upward slash to feint. The crowd of horned giants and inquisition agents are cheering for the fight, each person rooting for the one they wanted to win. Seeing Ataashi take another backstep to avoid the slash, Percy thrust forward with the right sword.

"I know I will." Ataashi used the gap in his sword to catch the thrust, twisting his blade to rip the sword out of Percy's hands. "You're good kid." Ataashi cracked his neck, smirking at the annoyed crowd that had to duck to avoid the flying longsword, "You've got a gift. But I've got a few years on you."

"But now I'm using the style I know better." The sea didn't like to be restrained, those words filled Percy's head as he shot forward, switching his remaining sword to his right hand as he dropped into his old one-handed sword style. The sea didn't like to be restrained, and Percy didn't like to lose.

"Holy!" the giant looked surprised at the sudden increase of skill. His old style wasn't as therapeutic as his new one which he was growing to prefer but it was still new to him. His old style was one he had more training in as the fight starts turning in his favor.

"And now I know to avoid that little trick." He ducks under a slash and slams the pommel of his sword into Attashi's hand, the giant cursing loudly at the painful impact. Spinning, something his style was growing to incorporate a great deal, he caught the serrated split sword and held them both to the now disarmed Ataashi.

"I yield." The giant held up his hands and grinned, the other horned giants groaning, several passing coins over to the gloating inquisition agents. "You're good kid, real good." The giant took back the sword, tilting his head before tossing it back to Percy, "Here kid, keep it. Let me know if you want to learn my 'little trick' or spar again." And with that, and a teasing ruffle to his hair, the giants walked off to their tents, leaving Percy alone with three swords. It was…different. Ataashi hadn't tried to pity him, or coddle him, or freak out about his age. He had treated him like an equal. Seeing Cassandra, Liliana, and Josephine heading to Ataashi, having clearly just seen the fight, Percy quickly turns and walks the other direction. It seemed a good idea to take a walk to think…far away from the angry women.


End file.
